Ford Explorer hits 100,000 sales mark
Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Ford
The 2011 Ford Explorer is a massive improvement over the last-generation model, and the Blue Oval's sales tally supports this claim. Ford tells us that the the Explorer is flying off store shelves, with 100,000 units sold so far in 2011. Those numbers are up 290 percent compared to 2010 totals, making the Explorer the fastest-growing mid-size utility vehicle in the country. This is the first time the Explorer has hit the 100,000 mark since 2007, and there are still over two months left in the year.
The Explorer appears to be selling quite well in spite of mixed reviews. While the vehicle came in for 2011 North American Truck Of The Year laurels, it hasn't fared as well in a number of comparison tests. Cars.com recently ranked the Explorer sixth in its $37,000 SUV Shootout, and earlier in the year, Consumer Reports ranked the Explorer as the 17th best utility vehicle out of 19 models, with complaints centering on the CUV's MyFordTouch infotainment system.
Ford would likely counter that the company is more concerned with what CUV buyers think, and those customers appear to be giving their vote of approval with their pocketbooks, and they might also note that the Explorer's 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder model is only hitting the market as a 2012 model now (though it's already claiming about 15 percent of the model mix). Hit the jump to read Ford's official press release.
Continue reading Ford Explorer hits 100,000 sales mark
Ford Explorer hits 100,000 sales mark originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord reports Vista Roof sales are through the… ceiling
Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Ford, Earnings/Financials
Ford's Vista Roof option has been selling well recently, and the automaker says this is, in part, to the little shot of Vitamin D it gives to drivers' everyday commutes. The split glass roof also has UV protection comparable to SPF-50 sunscreen, which should satisfy even the fairest-skinned buyers. So far this year, the Vista Roof option is checked on 48 percent of 2011 Ford Explorer sales, 56 percent of 2011 Ford Edge sales and 32 percent of all 2011 Ford Flex sales.
The numbers are staggering when you consider that the Vista Roof is a standalone option in most cases, and an expensive one at that. It costs $1,595 to let the sun shine in on the Edge and Explorer, and $1,495 on the Flex. The available all-glass roof on the Mustang is the most expensive at $1,995.
The Vista Roof is certainly a great way to work on your tan before you ever hit the beach, but it ain't exactly your dad's Vista Cruiser. Follow the jump for Ford's official press blast.
Continue reading Ford reports Vista Roof sales are through the... ceiling
Ford reports Vista Roof sales are through the... ceiling originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsOptima edges Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted *UPDATED
Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Ford, Honda, Kia
2011 Kia Optima 2.0T - Click above for high-res image gallery
The mid-size sedan battle rages on year after year. Perennial kings are dethroned while new challengers emerge boasting fresh styling and a bountiful list of standard features. Consumer Reports launched its June issue today, inside which the institute's testers have pitted four-cylinder versions of the Kia Optima and Honda Accord against each other to determine which is top dog, and then ranked them both against their peers.
As it has here at Autoblog Towers, the 2011 Kia Optima drew big praise from the Consumer Reports crew. In fact, the Korean squeezed out a higher rating than the veteran Honda Accord. It may have only beat the Honda by one point (81 to 80), but this represents a significant win for Kia. The opinion of Consumer Reports is highly valued by a large number of car shoppers, and this victory ought to push the Optima further onto the radar of the American car-buying public. Despite beating the Accord and earning a "Very Good" rating, however, the Optima is still nowhere near the top of the heap in Consumer Reports' ratings of four-cylinder mid-size sedans. The Nissan Altima (a perennial CR favorite) still holds the top spot with a rating of 91, neatly trumping the Optima in sixth place and the Accord in seventh.
One vehicle that didn't do so well in the June issue of Consumer Reports? The 2011 Ford Explorer. Three mid-size sport utility vehicles were rounded up for testing: the Explorer, Volkswagen Touareg TDI and Toyota Highlander Hybrid. Of the 19 mid-size SUVs that Consumer Reports has rankings for, the Explorer came in at 17 with just 65 points. The Touareg TDI, meanwhile, landed in fourth place with a score of 82 and the Highlander Hybrid beat all with a top rating of 89.
If you won't get the latest issue of CR in your mailbox, check out the official press release after the jump for more details.
UPDATE: The information in this article has been corrected concerning which vehicles were compared against each other in the June issue of Consumer Reports and where they ranked overall.
Continue reading Optima edges Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted *UPDATED
Optima edges Accord in CR test, Altima still favorite; Explorer lambasted *UPDATED originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 10 May 2011 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Ford, JabbaWockeeZ compare the V6 and V8 Explorers
Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford
JabbaWockeeZ and the 2011 Ford Explorer - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Ford has called on the JabbaWockeeZ dance crew to illustrate that the V6 in the 2011 Ford Explorer can handle the same tasks that last year's V8 did while netting better fuel economy along the way. For those of you who don't know, JabbaWockeeZ are perhaps the best hip-hop dance crew around right now.
If their routines describing the performance of Ford's engines are anything to go by, 2011 Ford Explorer owners won't be able to tell any appreciable difference between their car's 290-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 and the 2010 model's 292-hp V8.
Even with two fewer cylinders, Ford was able to pull the new six to within two horsepower of its older sibling. Impressive, especially when you consider that the 2011 Explorer nets 17/25 miles per gallon city/highway while the 2010 model only mustered up 14/20 mpg. We'll let JabbaWockeeZ explain the rest. Follow the jump to watch the video.
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: Ford, JabbaWockeeZ compare the V6 and V8 Explorers
Video: Ford, JabbaWockeeZ compare the V6 and V8 Explorers originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz
Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Ford, Celebrities, Humor
Nelly disapproves of back-up dancers and falling snow - Click above to watch video after the jump
The audio system in the 2011 Ford Explorer was created by Sony and features Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Technology being pumped through 12 speakers, including a subwoofer. The crisp-sounding system can pick up HD Radio channels and tag songs so you can buy them later with iTunes. Ford tapped multiple Grammy Award-winner Nelly to discuss the virtues of this setup.
Ford also got a hold of a director that thinks Nelly and the 2011 Ford Explorer are not enough to make a stand-out commercial. He decides to add some pizazz, and Nelly feels it's not needed. The premise sounds iffy but the results are surprisingly hilarious. Check out the clip for yourself by clicking past the jump. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to go brush up on our Country Grammar...
[Source: YouTube]
Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReview: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited
Filed under: SUV, Ford, Reviews
Wait 'Till They Get A Load Of This
2011 Ford Explorer Limited - Click above for high-res image gallery
They call it a reboot. It happens all the time in Hollywood when a movie franchise falls flat. After a blockbuster wears out its audience with a string of lesser sequels, the studio starts over, retelling the story from an entirely new angle.
The best example is Batman. The combination of Michael Keaton and director Tim Burton produced critical acclaim and big box office numbers for the first two Caped Crusader films in 1989 and 1992. Then came a new director, Joel Schumacher, who just about killed the franchise with Batman Forever in 1995 and Batman & Robin in 1997. Eight years passed before someone in Hollywood realized the Dark Knight's name could still fill theater seats, and the franchise was rebooted in 2005 with the dark and gritty Batman Begins.
The totally redesigned 2011 Ford Explorer is the Blue Oval's Batman Begins. Ford's most famous sport utility vehicle has desperately needed a reboot ever since the Firestone tire recall in 2000 made it Rollover Enemy Number One. Rising gas prices haven't helped either, but the tire debacle hurt the brand badly, with the Explorer going from this country's third best-selling vehicle in 2000 with 445,157 sold to just over 60,000 bought in 2010. But just like Batman, the Explorer name had value that Ford couldn't let go to waste. And so the 2011 Explorer is the sport utility story retold by Ford from an entirely new angle. The question is whether or not the Explorer's name can still put butts in seats.
Continue reading...
Photos copyright (C)2011 John Neff / AOL
Continue reading Review: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited
Review: 2011 Ford Explorer Limited originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 11 Feb 2011 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: 2011 Ford Explorer plays on seesaw at Chicago Auto Show
Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, SUV, Videos, Crossover, Ford
Click above to watch Autoblog Short Cuts: 2011 Ford Explorer demonstrates Terrain Management
Ford has set up a display to show off the multiple Terrain Management modes on the 2011 Explorer at this year's Chicago Auto Show. As you may recall, the tech keeps an eye on a laundry list of parameters, including specs like engine speed, throttle position, transmission shift patterns and the stability and traction control systems.
Visitors can ride shotgun over a number of surfaces, including a seesaw that transitions from a steep, slippery incline into a similarly aggressive descent and a deep sand section. The multiple surfaces are designed to flex the Explorer's all-terrain muscles, at least in the climate-controlled comfort of McCormick place.
Our own Drew Phillips cooked up a quick video of the ride along for your viewing pleasure. The clip after the jump includes all of the gravity-defying action of the Explorer all-terrain system when viewed from both the cabin and from the safety of the show floor. Follow the jump to check out the video for yourself.
Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Explorer plays on seesaw at Chicago Auto Show
Video: 2011 Ford Explorer plays on seesaw at Chicago Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsChicago 2011: Ford’s Farley talks Apple Genius Bars and the push to "democratize technology"
Filed under: Chicago Auto Show, SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Crossover, Ford
2011 Ford Explorer - Click above for high-res image gallery
Jim Farley, Ford's Group Vice President, Global Marketing, Sales and Service, gave the keynote speech at the Chicago Auto Show this morning, and the only way it could have been more on-topic is if he had given his speech via Facebook chat.
Before Farley announced the new "What Would You Go Do?" campaign for the 2011 Ford Explorer, he laid out how the Explorer's Facebook launch set a new tone for how Ford has conversations with its customers, and even set a new tone for the company itself. Follow the jump for more and Ford's press release on the Explorer competition.
Photos copyright (C)2011 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Ford]
Chicago 2011: Ford's Farley talks Apple Genius Bars and the push to "democratize technology" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Feb 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsHow Mulally put the Ford Explorer on a crash diet
Filed under: SUV, Etc., Technology, Crossover, Ford
2011 Ford Explorer - Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Bloomberg, the Ford Explorer can thank Alan Mulally for its stay of execution. When the former Boeing executive took the helm at FoMoCo, the powers that be urged him to make a decision on the then-ancient SUV. Mulally said that the nameplate could live on, but only if the company's engineers could find a way to seriously cut weight and increase fuel economy at the same time. The new vehicle was not only able to meet those demands, but was able to offer a larger package with much of the same off-road ability as well.
That meant sacrificing the body-on-frame blue print for a unibody design and exploring alternative engine solutions - engines like the upcoming Ecoboost four-cylinder. In the end, the Blue Oval boys were able to shed 100 pounds off the platform.
Ford has since interpreted that same quest for svelteness into a company-wide strategy, and Bloomberg says that the Dearborn automaker is now on par with automakers like BMW when it comes down to aggressively stripping weight from a vehicle. You can read the full story on how Mulally's obsession with reducing weight changed Ford for the better here. Thanks for the tip, Andrew!
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Bloomberg]
How Mulally put the Ford Explorer on a crash diet originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Feb 2011 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2011 Ford Explorer faces recall for seat recline mechanism
Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Crossover, Ford
2011 Ford Explorer - Click above for high-res image gallery
The 2011 Ford Explorer has gotten off to a hot start here in the States, with January retail sales up 244 percent. That's good news for Ford, but a recall for their new baby is not.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a notice on its website that Ford is recalling 1,658 new Explorers equipped with manual recline second row seats. The potential defect, which covers some Explorers built between July 15, 2010 and December 13, 2010, is the manual recliner mechanism on the 60 side of the 60/40 split second row bench seat. NHTSA says that the components are "out of dimensional specification," and that in the event of a crash the seat back may not provide the required strength to protect second row occupants.
Owners of the Explorers in question will be contacted by Ford and asked to bring their vehicle to the nearest Ford dealer for free of charge repairs. Ford dealers will reportedly be equipped to repair the compromised part beginning February 14, 2011. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.
[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]
Continue reading 2011 Ford Explorer faces recall for seat recline mechanism
2011 Ford Explorer faces recall for seat recline mechanism originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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